Stessel graduated from the Pavlovskoye military academy in 1866. He took part in the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78) and commanded a brigade in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion (1900–01). In August 1903 he assumed command of the Russian garrison at Port Arthur, and from January 1904 he was the commander of the 3rd Siberian Corps stationed there. Shortly after the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese blockaded the port (April 1904). After a 148-day siege Stessel surrendered the fortifications to the Japanese (December 1904) in disregard of the decisions taken by the other senior officers and of the adequate supply of men and materials.

Meeting between Anatoly Stessel of Russia and Nogi Maresuke of Japan, opposing generals in the …

He was suspended from active service in September 1906 and, in the wake of pressure from the press (which had initially portrayed him as the hero of the Port Arthur defense), court-martialed in 1907. He was sentenced to death, commuted to 10 years’ imprisonment, but in May 1909 he was pardoned by the tsar.